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406-
[400]
1839.

Tomorrow Ann will be busy preparing me for this six weeks trip in the country. She promises to write a good long letter to mother while I am gone. She has been a good girl so far: but how long she will continue to remains to be seen: You shall all have a peep at her just as soon as I can afford to make the journey.

Yours affectionately,

To father, mother, brother, and sisters.

I.A. Lapham

P.S. My trip to Chicago was to procure "Land Office money" for "Eastern Funds" which are not received at the land office.

Our land sale has been one of the largest ever made-- nearly $600,000 have been received, and yet there has not been an acre sold for more than $1.25 per acre. The actual settlers have all obtained their farms, and but very little land has been bought by speculators. The receiver has been counting money night and day for the last four weeks.

Encampment near Rock River,
April 5, 1839. Saturday morning.

My dear Wife--

My time has been so completely occupied since I wrote you last that I have really not had time to answer your very interesting letter received by Mr. Hustis.***

The news you write was truly welcome. I hope Mother Allcott will remain with you till I return and a great while afterward:*** I would come in if it was possible to leave my work but you know that the nature of it is such that I can not with any propriety.*** I am very sorry that mother has concluded to take both Elizabeth and Caroline we could have spared one but to